Healthy Skepticism Library item: 2806

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Denies ads mislead, manipulate
Drug Merchandising 1974; 55:(4):51

Abstract:

Dr. William Wigle, president of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Canada denied that drug advertising is misleading or manipulative and pointed out that prescription drug advertising comes under closer scrutiny and is subject to perhaps the most extensive and stringent legislative controls of any industry. Wigle also said that advertising is partially antipromotional because it also reminded doctors of when not to use the drug. There would only be minimal savings if advertising were eliminated-the average price of a prescription in 1972 would have dropped from $4.25 to $4.13. Wigle denied that there were inflated claims saying that the industry has its claims carefully monitored by the federal Health Protection Branch. There were very few complaints about advertising in the past four years and nearly all of them had been dealt with by the PMAC advertising committee.

Keywords:
*news story/Canada/journal advertisements/regulation of promotion/industry perspective/attitude toward promotion/quality of information/ATTITUDES REGARDING PROMOTION: INDUSTRY/EVALUATION OF PROMOTION: GENERAL QUALITY OF INFORMATION/REGULATION, CODES, GUIDELINES: INDUSTRY SELF-REGULATION